The Lights That Changed My Life
One day while recording with one of my favorite producers Jose Silva,
He stood up and announced we were going to make the first number 1
rap record in Spanish.
Both the engineer Jorge Fonseca and I looked at each other thinking Jose
had one too many beers.
Jose was always filled with fresh ideas and we could spend hours
trying new things, but it just seemed his idea was out of left field
I asked him “Who is going to be the rapper?”
He just looked at me and pointed to Jorge (the engineer).
Twenty minutes later an entire rap was written in Spanish
I had laid down some funky single note lines on tape,
and Jorge was sent into the studio while the 2nd engineer pressed record.
Two months after its release the record was in the top 10 and Jorge
was singing/ rapping for 1000’s of people every night in Hispanic countries.
Long story short I became so busy doing Latin music, rock, pop
all in Spanish and I loved every minute.
I was working in 4 different studios from Woodland Hills to Glendale
and was on top of the world.
There was a very cool studio in Van Nuys Ca called Soundabout Recording.
The studio was owned by an incredible arranger, producer, composer
Gustavo Farias and he and his manager Juri took a liking to me
I was doing jingles and recording dates often for them.
After playing on two number one records for Gloria Trevi who was bigger
than Michael Jackson in Hispanic countries, I was pretty much set.
Seems I had found my niche and I was enjoying every minute.
One day as I was doing a session at Soundabout, I was told a very
important music producer was on his way in and he was going to check me out.
He and another guy walked in and embraced me and told me how
he loved my work and asked to hang out.
They were so very cool and watched for about 2 hours.
I was so excited to play on the producer’s new record but he didn’t ask me.
Instead, four days later I walked in to find him directing and producing
some of the coolest music ever but the guitarist playing was Michael
Landau.. not me.
Mike is a top-session guy and a very cool person.
Where I did sessions like movies, jingles, and more because
I sight-read music so well, Mike did big record sessions with superstars.
He had a special talent that I didn’t have.
He could emulate any guitar sound from any record. He had cases and cases of pedals so if you asked for the solo sound from a Steely Dan record, a Beatle record an ANY record he could call that sound up.
He also had several racks of equipment with tons of great effects
in them.
These racks were not only impressive but there were so
many lights it looked like Christmas when he played.
My ego was hurt when I saw him playing, and I was jealous.
I had to know why the producer went with Mike instead of me.
I ran into the office and asked the studio manager if I had done
something wrong in that they had hooked up Mike for the session/ record.
Juri in her sweetest voice said, Jamie, “Mike is GREAT
and YOU are GREAT”
but Mike has more LIGHTS than you.
More lights look more successful. The producer wanted the most successful musician and by seeing the lights he decided on Michael.
I stood there thinking this is the most bull%^&^ thing I had ever heard
The number of lights was the deciding factor?
On my drive home I stopped the car and it was like GOD himself
had come to me.
If lights are what impress people, then I was to build a rack with lights…
I did and it was just lights and fake equipment. And my work soared.
But more than the extra work, and all that went with that
there was a bigger lesson, a life lesson.
From that day till today I know that
I will always be better with more lights.
I always find a way to be kinder, to be someone to
be trusted, to be extra compassionate, to bring positivity wherever
and whenever I can, to brighten someone else’s day, to do more,
To Be more, to find a way to shine the light of the universe in all
I am and to all, I come into contact with including the people I work
for and with.
Amazing how one day in the studio changed my entire life
just seeing how living in the light is so important.
How do you shine your light?
I am looking forward to your comments
Jamie Glaser
Jamie Glaser 